ATOMS FOR PEACE This position is in line with that of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which in a nutshell tantamounts to: Nuclear Power ‘Yes’ – Nuclear Proliferation ‘No’. It also fits in the growing interest shown by several Arab countries, including the oil-rich ones, in developing nuclear power for peaceful use. The U.S., UK, France, and Russia, among other industrialised countries, have been encouraging this trend in Arab countries and some of them have already signed substantial commercial deals to install nuclear plants in a number of Arab states. The oil-rich United Arab Emirates, for instance, announced in October 2009 its decision to build nuclear reactors on its soil. This unleashed a frenetic, politically backed competition between giant corporations from France, U.S., Japan and South Korea, to win the 40 billion dollar bid for this project At the same time, the French government has reportedly promised assistance to Qatar and Morocco, to launch their own nuclear programmes. Egypt and Jordan were reported to be heading for building nuclear plants. Also Saudi Arabia announced plans to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes.